EDINBURG — Four championships, a multitude of ex-players in the NBA and a team-record 28 made 3-pointers just two nights earlier didn’t mean much for the RGV Vipers on Saturday in the second of a two-game series against Memphis.
The Hustle played aggressive, in-your-face perimeter defense, Kenneth Lofton Jr. dominated the middle as if he were alone most of the night and the Hustle claimed a 127-116 victory over the Vipers at Bert Ogden Arena.
Lofton, a 6-foot-8, 275 pound mass scored 31 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and dished out six assists. Most of those assists led to 3-pointers for the Hustle (3-3) as the Vipers defense had to play a step off their man to help with the Hustle’s big man. He scored 29 points and nabbed 10 rebounds on Thursday against RGV.
The Hustle hit 17-of-40 3-pointers (42.5%) while RGV mustered 10-of-35 3s (28.6%).
Two nights previous, the Vipers set a team record for 3-pointers taken (54) and 3-pointers made (28) in a 149-124 wipeout of Memphis. The Vipers led 121-86 after three periods in that Thursday game.
So, if RGV had any thoughts that Saturday would be something similar, they were sadly mistaken and that’s the message first-year head coach Kevin Burleson want to make sure his team realizes. If anything, teams are going to play harder against the Vipers, wanting to beat the NBA G-League’s premiere organization and defending champions.
“Maybe they thought this was going to be easy,” Burleson said. “We came into the game knowing they were going to come out strong. We scored a lot last game and knew they were going to be physical and they played well. When they get going, they are a tough load to handle. We were a little too relaxed during some spots in the game. You can’t do that with that type of team.”
The Vipers (2-2) have given up 120 or more points in three of their four game this season, holding Birmingham to 104 in an eight-point win. They have also been out-rebounded in three of the four games by an average of 47.5-42.5. That, in part, could be because of the continuing recoveries of big men, 7-foot Willie Cauley Stein, and 6-foot-10 Ray Spalding.
“These guys both were off for 11 months and this was third game for Willie and second for Ray,” Burleson sad. “These guy are getting the rust off and are learning to play with the guys so I have no concerns there.”
Burleson’s biggest concern, however, came from watching what he called a bit of “I’ll get mine,” basketball.
“We were a little selfish on offense and that’s what hurt us. If we would’ve drove and passed, we would’ve gotten what we wanted,” he said. “It’s one of those things where they thought it would be easy and would be sweet. They were playing like they were up 30 or something like that.
“I don’t think we were playing as a group.”
Louis King led the Vipers with 29 points ad Darius Days added 22. Cauley-Stein scored 11 points and blocked four shots and TyTy Washington Jr. scored 16 points and dished out seven assists.
The Vipers return to action at 7 p.m. today at Mexico City, then return home for a 7 p.m. match Wednesday once again with Mexico City.